So last night I roll up to a red light next to a black Mustang GT convertible in the next lane that looked like it was probably an 03 or an 04 (last body style). Anyway the car was driven by a young guy & was loaded with a bunch of his buddies – all in their early twenties. While we’re waiting for the light to change – the guy starts revving his engine in an obvious attempt to get my attention and impress his passengers. They’re playing along and seem pretty amused by the driver’s antics. But kept looking over at me & seemed to be waiting for my reaction.

Well after about the third time – I decide to giv’em a show & rev my shark’s engine up to about 5 grand! Hold it for a second or so and let it off. That’s when all the Stang's passengers went absolutely crazy and starting giving me the “Rock On” ( ) hand sign and hoping & hollering – much to the Mustang owner’s dismay who wasn’t smiling anymore.

Now I had no intention of racing last night – but from my understanding an 01-04 Mustang GT & my 78 Shark would’ve probably been a pretty interesting match up all things being equal. I’m thinking I’d probably loose the jump out off the light, but am thinking I would catch & eventually pull away from the Mustang given an save open road ahead. There wasn’t in this case.

But I guess we’ll never know (LOL), because it seems the shear “sound” of my Shark’s “Cat-less” Borla exhaust system must’ve intimidated the hell out of the Stang owner. Because when the light turned green he didn’t press the issue and pulled away at a restrained & respectful clip of speed.

Moral: Sometimes getting in the mind of a “potential” opponent can be just as important as having the faster car.

Street Phyops! Ya got'a love it.

 

Cool story.

When I was in high school, I worked at a German car repair shop, and my senior year I drove a 914 that I had fixed up from a $600 broken frame scraper... Anyway, one night the local fast guy in a Mach 1 mustang pulled up next to me at a light... revving engine, like normal. I happened to notice one of Columbus, Indiana's finest on a side street up ahead... where they normally were on Saturday nights on the cruise strip... so I revved my engine... several revs later, light turns green and our Mach 1 buddy goes screaming away from the light sideways... only to go a block before the blue lights pop out... directly in front of the area where all the cruising teens parked... the story made it's way around the school without my help and still brings a smile to me 20 some odd years later.

 

Its always fun to seem like your gonna race...knowing the man is ahead...then watch moron get nailed....good old fashioned fun!!

Sharks just sound mean.....the less exhaust they have...the meaner they sound...

 

Them Poway kids are full of $hit...lol

928s certainly have a frightening exhaust note...plus a Borla? Jesucristo.

Bret, any thoughts on a full exhaust system and a blower? lol, then you'd leave the Stang behind :P

 

LOL! Yes well, I think everyone thinks about such things at one time or another. But I don't see it happening anytime soon. Maybe some day - but I think the better choice would be to take that money, sell my shark and look for a later S4 or a GT.

But for now I'm just going to enjoy my Shark for what it is.

 

Nice!

I grabbed this experience I had off the old SOCAL board from 2003....was in my old 82 with the Borla and other goodies. I still get a laugh reading it.....

Boy, I just couldn't wait to get back to the house to post this one! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!! (I am still laughing)

What a day this has been. I was out on the road a bit today and they were out there let me tell ya...MR2's, 911's, C230's...all feeling the need for speed, but THIS one is worth repeating.

I was cruising down the hill on First Street by my house and coming to a stop light. As I am slowing down in the #1 lane, there is a Prowler in the #2 lane slowing as well. I pull up to the light next to an Eclipse, though I didn't know or even care to notice at the time. I was on my way to make a delivery in Moorpark, so there were about 25 smaller boxes in the car. The Prowler is behind the Eclipse. Not that I really noticed any of this yet since I was just kind of spacing out at the light thinking about who knows what.

rrrrRRRRIIINNNGGGgggg is what I hear in a deeper tone suddenly. Yea, he got my attention as I snapped my head in his direction bringing me back to the real world. I sees dis kid wit da coo shades own kickin it chawin own sum gum wit hiz ahm owt da window jes lookin fowad at dee lite.

Seems that I go to some weird place in my head when I see these guys. So I had an idea! I gently slipped the shifter into "N", then I heaved on the throttle a few times stretching them out as each one passed...vvrrRROOMMm, vvVVVRRROOOMMM, vvVVRRRROOOOMMMMMMmmmm. (LOL)

Now I got HIS attention while I was looking directly at him doing this with a big smurk on my face. He pulls his arm in and now locks it on the steering wheel and I can only guess the other was on the shifter. He hits it a couple of times while I continue to let the V8 take some deep breaths, now shortening the throttle punches. Both cars are rockin.

Light turns green, Eclipse launches and I am laughing my *** off as I casually slip back to drive and slowly pull away from the light. PSYCH!!!!!

Wouldn't you know it though, the Prowler zips past wanting a piece of all this as he is ALL UP the Elipses tail pipe!!! Now I am laughing even harder as I watch the two of them race down the street.

This guy must have been back there watching and wanting show both of us how it's done. LOL!

I almost had to pull over I was laughing so hard.

 

That's funny Keith,

Yea Prowlers are pretty cool – but I think they’re severely handicapped in the HP department because of the V6. But the Eclipse should have been easy work for it. I killed on in a strait line in my 01 [somewhat modified] Super Crew 4x4.

I'm of the opinion that two of the most over rated cars in the so called stop light grand-prix or in a strait line are the Eclipse and the Miata. Back when I had an 2000 Dodge Intrepid a few years ago I went up against a Miata and killed him in the 1/8th mile. But in the Miata’s defense (and to a lesser extent the Eclipse) it wasn’t really designed for that kind of workout. For in a road course I’m sure the little roadster would of left me in the dust at the first apex in my big sedan.

 

Nice story but I think you would have lost to the Mustang in any type of acceleration contest. They have a top speed of around 150mph and at least 50 more hp than your 928.

 

Hey, did you go to Columbus East or Columbus North? I'm a Jennings Co. grad.

 

Tomorrow's Thread by Bret: "Anyone have helpful hints on clutch replacement?"



Just joking . . .

 

That's ok, but a clutch job is certainly in the near future for my car. I can see it coming, but not for the reasons you might think. Truth be told I’m looking at possibly getting one of Carl’s (928Motorsports) aluminum fly wheels and feel it’d be a great improvement to the overall performance of my vehicle.


I guess your probably right but I guess I’m thinking of the early fourth generation Mustangs GT rather than the later 4th gen versions. But it’s been my experience that convertibles (not to mention loaded down with three passengers) tend to loose about a half to a full second do to the added weight for reinforcing the frame.

Anyway here are the numbers I have.
1994 Ford Mustang GT 6.1 14.9 (C&D Dec '93)
1999 Ford Mustang GT 5.5 14.1

1977 Porsche 928 6.7 15.2

Now I’m assuming that the Porsche numbers are for a 5-speed and not an early 3-speed auto. Not sure the difference with the Mustang but I have to assume that with better computer control the Stang’s autos aren’t off that much from the manuals.

That said looking at the numbers above victory by one or the other might come down to driver ability or lack there of. I’m guessing by how easy it was to intimidated this guy that was probably not as familiar with his vehicle.

But as I said above in the Moral of the story: “Sometimes getting in the mind of a “potential” opponent can be just as important as having the faster car”